Rail anchor



July 31, 1928.

C. W. BALDRIDGE RAIL ANCHOR Filed Sept. 21, 192.7

Patented July 31, 1928.

OFFICE.

CHARLES w. nannnrnen, or onroaoo, ILLINOIS.

1minv ANCHOR.

Application filed September 21, 1927. Serial No. 220,933.

This invention relates to rail anchors for railroad rails to prevent longitudinal creeping movement of the rails in the direction of travel of traflic moving over the rails.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and cheaply constructed rail anchor which can be quickly and readily attached and detached from a rail and which will bear against a railway tie to prevent longitudinal creeping movement of the'rail in one direction.

A further object is to provide such a rail anchor wherein the tie bearing portion is downwardly and forwardly offset from the rail embracing portion so that no portion of the anchor can bear or strike against a tie plate carried by the tie.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a rail anchor coi'nprising an integral member having an embracing portion adapted to extend beneath the rail and adapted to overlap the base of the rail at both edges thereof and also having a portion adapted to bear against the side of a railway tie and a wedge member adapted to tightly secure said embracing portion to the rail.

These and other objects and advantagesof the present invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views and in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a rail,

tie and tie plate showing the rail anchor applied thereto, certain parts of the device being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a rail showing the rail anchor in front elevation in full lines applied thereto and in dotted lines in position for application to the rail;

3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, as indicated by the an rows; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the rail anchor applied to a rail and bearing against a railway tie carrying a tie plate.

Referring to the drawings, a railway rail 5 is illustrated secured to a railway tie 6 in the usual manner by means of railway spikes 7 engaging the upper surface of the base of the rail and passing through open ings in a tie plate 8 carried by the tie beneath the rail and assisting in holdmg the end,

second arm 16 PIO]GCtS first rail in position by means of lugs 9. In accordance with the present invention an an chor member vided with a wide, flat, horizontally disposed embracing portion 10, a substantially vertical portion the forward edge of the embracing portion, a second horizontal portion 12 projecting forwardly from the lower end of the vertical portion 11 and a substantiallyvertical tie bearing portion 13 projecting downwardly from the forward edge of the portion12 to provide a tie bearing face at its forward side. An arm let from one end of the embracing portion 10, the left end asviewed in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and the arm 14 then projects in- I wardly and then downwardly aqshort disance to terminate in a rounded end. A rib 15 is provided at the forward side of arm la te strengthen the arm. Fromthe other end of the embracing portion 10, the right as viewed in-Fig. 1 of the drawings, a upwardly and then diagonally upwardly and inwardly. The first upwardly projecting portion of the arm 16 at its inner side is formed to provide a wedge bearing'surface of greater width at the rear side of the memberA than at the forward side thereof. A wedge shaped key 1'? having a wide flange at its upper side is provided andthe said key has a shoulder 18 which is of such shape as to conform to the upper outer corner of the base of the rail 5 to which the anchor is to be applied. The distance between the inner ends of the arms 14 and 16 is less than the width of the base of the rail to which the anchor is to be applied, while the length of the embracing portion is greater than the width of the said base.

To apply the device to a rail such as the rail 5, the arm 16 is first hooked over one side of the base of the rail to allow the anchor member A to assume the position illustrated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, one edge of the base of the rail striking the wedge surface ofthe arm 16. The arm 14 end of the member A is then swung upwardly until the inner end of the said arm is above the left upper corner of the base of the rail as viewed in'F 2 whereupon the member A is slid to theright until the rounded downwardly projecting portion of the arm 1.4- bears against the upper surface ofthe left A is provided which is pro-' 11 extending downwardly from projects first upwardly side of the base of the rail. Member A will now be moved forwardly until the forward face of the bearing portion 13 strikes one side of a railway tie such as the tie G. The key 17 is then inserted between the arm and the right hand edge of the base of the rail and is driven in place to force the rail the inner rounded end of the arm l l until the said arm is under some resilient tension to hold the rail in position. Although the lgey 17 is wedge shaped on both its outer side surface and on its upper flange the main wedging action will occur between the outer side of the base of the rail and the upwardly extending wedge bearing surface portion of the arm 16. In certain instances there may also he a wedging action between the upper flange portion oi? the key and the diagonally extending portion of the arm 16.

When the device has been so applied the rail will. be securely anchored to prevent longitudinal creeping PGOVGD'lQHiZ thereof in one direction. The tie bearing surface 13 is both downwardly and forwardly offset from the embracing portion 10 or" the device so that there can be no possible engagement between the edge of the tie plate 8 and any part of the anchor. iVhen the rail is in use, therefore, the tie plate will not become displaced. and the chief objections to rail anchors now in use will be obviated. The slight resiliency that will be given to the arm i l due to the wedging action of the key 17, will take up any looseness that might occur in the clamping portions 01 the device due to expansion or contraction of the member A and the rail.

Preferably three or four of the rail anchors will used on each rail to prevent the creepage of the rail in a given direction. \Vhen it is desired to prevent creepage of the rail in two directions as on a single track line, two sets of anchors will be provided facing in opposite directions.

It will. be seen that the device is simple and cheap in construction and can be readily applied to a rail or removed from the rail. It will be understood that various changes may he made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of the invention which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rail anchor comprising a member having a main portion adapted to he placed below a rail to embrace the base of the same, means for wedgingsaid main portion to the rail and a tie bearing portion downwardly and forwardly octlset from said main por tion, and adapted to extend transverse of the rail equal distances at either side of the center thereof, to prevent torsional strain on the tie.

2. A rail anchor comprising a member having a rail engaging portion, an arm at one end of said portion projecting first upwardly, then inwardly and then slightly downwardly, said arm being adapted to verlie the base of a rail and to bear against the top of said base, a second arm projecting first upwar lly and then diagonally up wardly and inwardly, a wedge adapted to be inserted between said last mentioned arm i and the side of the rail to clamp the rail against the downwardly projecting portion of said first mentioned arm under resilient tension and a tie bearing surface below said engaging portion and forwardly offset therefrom.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

CHARLES WV. BALDRID GE. 

